There are common factors in all happy families which you can adopt in order to ensure your family unit stays close, trusting and happy. These foundations are ones which experts agree are key to a loving, cheerful home.
Cuddle time
You can’t overdose on hugs, so it’s important that you make time to cuddle those close to you. This time spent together, whether you’re reading, playing games or just talking, is vital for maintaining a close bond and helping your children to feel loved. A happy home is one where each member of the household knows their value within the home, and as parents it is your role in helping your children feel loved every day.
Sing together, stay together
The Von Trapp family had the right idea – singing together is a fantastic way to increase closeness as a family and to bond with your siblings and parents. You can make up your own words to your favourite tunes, dance around the house with your children, or use music to motivate the more boring chores such as cleaning their room. However you choose to do it, music can help create wonderful lasting memories for you and your children to look back on.
Make room for fun
Naturally you want your children to do well and this can only happen if you’re encouraging them to do their homework on time and to do well at school. Of course, it can be easy to get too involved with this mind-set and forget that they are just children. It’s vital that, as a happy family, you make time for light-heartedness and fun to lower tension and anxiety. Spend time together doing the things you all enjoy, such as playing games, taking long walks together or cooking.
Exercise together
Take a run or a bike ride to a local park with your children, or plan a day trip to the nearby beach for some swimming and frisbee on the shore. Not only are these outings fun but they also encourage a healthier lifestyle and teach your children the importance of exercise. You may find it a fun activity in finding an exercise you can all enjoy as a family – why not try different things and see what you all like best?
Create healthy habits
On that note, creating habits which will teach your children the importance of staying healthy are great for ensuring your family stays healthy and happy. Junk food is high in salt and sugar, as well as fat, so you should make an effort to create meals and offer snacks which are rich in nutrients and low in these bad additives. You may find that cooking together as a family will help to teach your children about healthy foods, so that they become more interested in the subject. Kids who make meals are generally more inclined to eat them, which is great if you have a fussy eater in the family.
Reward good behaviour
You should encourage good behaviour in your children, but you don’t need a grand extravagant gesture – why not take a trip to the zoo or see a film with a popcorn treat ? There are plenty of ways to let your kids know you’re happy with their performance in school. It’s also a way to bond with your child – why not spend some time, one on one, each day with your child. Even if it’s just ten minutes, your child will love the attention and that special time they have with you.